Safety-pin.



F. E. DE LONG.

SAFETY PIN.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 9, 1913.

Patented July 6, 1915.

W-Hmseee 9,;

- the pin, as seen from the side which is IINXTED STATEh FRANK E. DELONG, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY-PIN.

Application filed'IVLay 9, 1913.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK E. DE LONG, of Philadelphia, in the county :ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Safety-Pins, whereof the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to that type of safety pins which comprise twoparallel elongated members, one of which may be termed the shank and theother the pin proper, formed of a continuous piece of wire returned uponitself, and at the point of return disposed in one or more coils to forma spring, the end of the shank member being permanently secured to ashield which is provided with an aperture adapted to receive the pointedend of the pin. As heretofore constructed, pins of this character havebeen open to the objection that the coiled wire at the spring extremityof the pin was liable to catch in lace or other delicate fabric, owingto the tendency of the fabric to enter between the coils and becomepinched thereby, in the act of closing or opening the pin, or even wherethe latter was fastened in position.

The object of my invention is to avoid this difliculty, and to that endI construct the pin as shown in the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure I, represents a side elevation of the pin in closed position.Fig. II, is a top or plan view thereof. Fig. III, is a side elevation ofthe coil or spring extremity of op posite to that shown in Fig. I. Fig.IV, is a transverse vertical section on the line IV, IV, of Fig. 1.

The pin comprises as its main essential elements, a head or shield 1,which may be of the usual form, with a lateral aperture 2; a shank 3,soldered or otherwise secured within the head, and a pin proper 4, ofsuch dimensions and so located that its point 6, can enter the aperture2, by lateral pressure, and will then spring into its engaging positionfor retention within the shield as indicated by the dotted line in Fig.I.

The spring element, which is located at the extremity remote from theshield 1, consists of a triple coil of wire disposed in a peculiarmanner which will now be explained. Tracing the progress of the wireSpecification of Letters Patent.

Serial No. 766,463.

from the shank 3, it will be noted that it is bent upward to form asubstantially circular coil whose rising member is represented at 8, andwhose descending member 9, is at the bottom conducted diagonally acrossthe general plane of the structure, (as shown in dotted lines at 10, inFig. II), and again rises as indicated at 11, to form a second coil.substantially similar to the coil 9, above referred to. The second coilis continued as shown at 12, in substantially symmetrical relation withthe upper portion of the first mentioned coil, and descending, is turnedinwardly to form a return bend of shorter radius, as shown at 13. Thisreturn bend is thus embraced by, or inclosed between, the other twocoils both laterally and at what may be termed its rear extremity, orthat remote from the shield 1. The wire of this return bend 13, iscontinued upward to a point somewhat less than the height of the twolateral coils, and is then projected out from between them to constitutethe pin member 4.

For the purpose of clearness of illustra tion in the drawings, I haveshown all the wires as retaining their original circular cross section,and have also in Fig. II, indicated the inclosing coils as separately byan interval which is somewhat exaggerated, but it will be understoodthat my invention is not limited to these details, as it is common inarticles of this character to compress the coils or other portions ofthe wire at desired points, and to flatten or otherwise modify the crosssection thereof.

l/Vith a pin constructed in accordance with my invention, it ispractically impossible for a fabric to become entangled in, or pinchedby, the spring element under any normal condition of use, since theinterstices between the wires at all parts of the spring element are sodisposed, and the portion which has the greatest movement e. theinterior return bend) is so shielded by the outer, or guard coils, thatsuch engagement is prevented.

Having thus described my invention, I state that I am aware that it isnot new to form a safety pin from an integral piece of vaire, with aplurality of coils at the spring extremity, and I do not broadly claimsuch a structure. The distinguishing feature of my invention lies in thefact that the interior Patented July 6, 1915.

coil, which directly extends from the pin member, is inclose'd betweentwo guard coils in the relation above set forth.

I claim:

In a safety pin, the combination of a shank member; a pin member; and aspring member integral With said shank and pin, said spring membercomprising a substantially circular helical coil formed in prolongationof the shank member; a second helical coil of substantially similardiametric projection from the line of the shaft, ar-

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents ranged side by sideWith said first coil, and a return bend of shorter radius, arrangedbetween said coils and inclosed thereby, said 15 return bend merginginto the pin member, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name at Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, this third day of May 1913.

FRANK E. DE LONG.

Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, E. L. FULLERTON.

each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. G.

